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You must be 21 or over to enter this website. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon.
Please read and drink responsibly.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Kirin Brewery Company
Distillery: Four Roses
Release Date: January 2025
Proof: 100
Age: NAS (Press release states 7-9 years)
Mashbill: 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Color: Light Amber
MSRP: $50 / 750mL (2025)
Bubble gum | Pink peppercorn | Light oak | Elderberry | Dried dark berries | Intriguing
Liquorice | Chewy oak | Brown butter | Vanilla cream | Mellow rye spice | Faint caramel | Flavorful
Rye spice | Peppery oak | Light leather | Faint vanilla beam | Lingering spice
Highlighting more fruit and spice, the OESO release from this year’s Single Barrel Collection is a prime example of how a slight tweak in Four Roses recipe can result in an entirely different drinking experience.
Four Roses’ standard 100 proof single barrel has always been OBSV, however, at the end of 2024, the company announced that they would be releasing a new Single Barrel Collection to coincide with their 20th anniversary. Their intention is to expand on their current single barrel product. The company states that “The Single Barrel Collection will feature the first three new 100 proof Single Barrel bourbons – OBSF, OESK, and OESO – alongside the flagship Single Barrel, OBSV.” The company goes on to state that “Following this first Single Barrel Collection, which will be available throughout 2025, Four Roses will continue to introduce a new set of Single Barrels each year, rotating between the nine unique recipes that complement the flagship Single Barrel recipe.”
Four Roses uses two different mashbills and five different yeast strains to create 10 unique bourbon recipes. The OESO mashbill consists of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. The strain of yeast used is version “O” and when combined to create the specific recipe, it’s described as containing flavors of rich fruit and vanilla. Like the other bottles in the single barrel collection, the bourbon in the review was aged between 7-9 years. Of note, Four Roses releases single barrel, barrel proof versions of all 10 of their recipes, however, these are only available via private selection.
Compared to the standard OBSV Single Barrel Bourbon, the OESO release from this year’s Single Barrel Collection brings about more defined flavors up front with a lingering spicy finish to cap things off. Opening with bubble gum and fruit scents, the nose draws you in and is followed by a flavorful midpoint that focuses on spice and vanilla. The finish is simple yet effective, with a lingering spice that makes you pause and enjoy its presence before going back for another sip. While every single barrel will be unique, fans of the standard OBSV recipe will enjoy seeing how the OESO recipe shows off more of its fruit notes by comparison.
